Once Upon Some Time
by IFiWEREaROBOT
Summary: Tetra doesn't believe in fairytales, but life can sometimes be even stranger than fiction, and not every "Once upon a time" ends in a "Happily ever after."
1. The Princess and the Pirate

**Author's Note:** I am not sure what to say. I suppose this is my first serious Zelda story, and I hope I can find the will to see it to the end. It shall be my first complete story, I hope! For those of you wondering what this is, OUST is a tale set in a modern Hyrule setting. It could be AU or merely in the future, depending on which you like better. Either way, it is set after and/or based on the Wind Waker timeline, which includes Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and possibly Ocarina of Time if you're a fan of that theory like I am. I hope you enjoy this story!

* * *

**The Princess and the Pirate**

* * *

They were twins at birth, but they didn't act the same at all. They had the same blond hair, the same blue eyes, the same parents. They didn't have the same names. No, not even similar. For one was named Zelda, after their late mother, and the other was Tetra.

Zelda was a traditional name. The first born daughter of every Nohansen had it. It was said to be the name of the first Queen of Hyrule, back when this place was called Hyrule and there were still nobles and royalty. Now it was all countryside, just lakes and fields and ruined castles to explore.

Not that Zelda ever would. She stayed inside and read her books about fairies and knights and princesses. Their father always called her His Little Princess, and she took it to heart. She was all soft curves and pale skin, her nature demure and sweet and long blonde hair brushed loving until it shone like gold. Just like the princesses of the old.

Tetra didn't want the name anyway. While Zelda curled up in her father's lap on rainy days, safe and warm in front of the fireplace with her book of fairytales, Tetra was always at least a yard away, peering out the window in awe at the vast puddles that seemed almost big enough to be an ocean.

Tetra was the one who explored the castles, pillaged the imaginary Forest Fairy villages and went trudging the lake shore in search of treasure. Her small fingertips weren't soft from turning the pages of a book. She had callouses and scars and skin turned dark brown, though it used to burn so easily when she had first left the house. She wasn't a princess, not in the least. Maybe she could have been at one point, if she let it happen or had been born first. But she didn't and she hadn't. So she called herself a pirate. And that was good enough for her.

Not that there were any pirates nowadays. Those died out a long time ago, along with the princesses and the fairies. And the heroes.

Or so they thought. But that's a story for another day.


	2. The Boy in Green

**The Boy in Green**

* * *

It was an unusually sunny day that summer. In some places it might have seemed normal, but not where they lived. It was usually wet and cold and cloudy, but that day was just... sunny. Sunny and dry and warm. Maybe that was a sign of what was to come or maybe it was just a coincidence, but it was on that sunny day that something miraculous happened.

Someone moved into the house next door.

There was no warning for it. No one told them or came by to see the house. The first they heard of new neighbors was the sound of a moving truck backing up, the piercing _BEEP-BEEP-BEEP_ making Tetra slip off the rock she had been climbing on and scrape her leg. She didn't cry, just whipped her head around and stared wide-eyed at the biggest car she had ever seen in her life.

And the greenest boy she had ever seen, too. All decked out in tones of lime and olive as if he were a little leaf. Or one of those midget forest fairies in Zelda's books.

"Zelda! Zelda!" she ran over to her own house and started to shriek at the upstairs window, jumping up and down and flailing her arms above her head. It took a while, but the the pane slowly creaked open and she saw her sister's head poke outside sleepily, her precious hair resembling that mouse nest Tetra had found in the field last week. Of course she was still asleep. It was barely eight, though Tetra had been out since six.

"Why are you screaming?" Zelda asked her wearily, before noticing the blood dribbling down her leg. She sat up straight and leaned out the window.

"You're bleeding!" she cried, all sleep gone from her voice. Tetra crossed her arms and glanced down at the scrape to humor her, staring at the small river of red in disinterest.

"Wow. So I am. Ouch," she intoned, dry and sarcastic.

"NOW GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE! IT'S _IMPORTANT!_"

"You don't have to yell." Zelda frowned and closed the window with a snap. Tetra sighed impatiently, knowing that she'd take a while brushing her hair and teeth. Bah. Who needed her anyway. She could figure out that fairy boy by herself. Not bothering to go inside and wipe off her leg, she hopped the adjoining fence that separated their yards and strutted up to the house, straight-backed and proud.

"Hey, you," she jerked her chin up once in greeting and put her hands on her hips, staring down the shorter boy in an attempt to intimidate him. It worked at school, even the older boys didn't dare mess with her.

It didn't work on him. He just stared at her blankly. Right in the eye, too. She took a step back, slightly shaken before she gathered her nerves and stood tall again. Another car came up to the house, a truck this time towing an old horse carrier behind it. She looked at the boy and then back at the carrier again, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"You some kinda hick, kid?" she asked with a sneer, snorting derisively. He followed her line of eyesight wordlessly. No reply.

It was frustrating.

"Hey, you dumb or something? Can you at least nod or shake your head, or is that too hard?" Tetra demanded, obviously unnerved by the silence. She shifted her weight to her other foot as he seemed to think it over seriously.

"You at least got a name?" she asked finally when he still didn't answer, sounding desperate and exasperated. The boy gave her a small smile and pulled down his green hoodie. Blond hair, like hers.

"Link." Tetra grinned back, feeling triumphant that she got him to speak.

"I'm Tetra," she boasted, jabbing her thumb to her chest as if her very name itself were some kind of important title.

"I don't take crap from no one so you better learn it now, kid." Link nodded and smiled a little wider, but it was a secret kind of smile, as if he knew something Tetra didn't. She didn't like it one bit and told him so.

"What's with that stupid look on your face? You got something to say? Just remember that I-"

She didn't get to finish, because Zelda leaned out the window again and started screaming for her to stop leaving her underwear all over the floor. She flushed bright red and Link glanced down at her leg in mild concern.

"You're bleedin'," he commented bluntly.

Tetra ran home to tend to it that very moment.


	3. What Does a Pirate Use To Clean Her Ear?

**What Does a Pirate Use To Clean Her Ears?**

* * *

Tetra woke up early again the next morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but she dressed quietly and tiptoed downstairs, then through the lounge where her father had fallen asleep in his armchair. He snored loudly, like a lion. She stifled a laugh and opened the front door slowly.

It creaked.

The wannabe pirate flinched and whipped her head around, waiting to see if he would wake up. He shifted, but didn't open his eyes. She let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding and backed out the door slowly, keeping an eye on him as she slowly closed the door behind her.

"Whatcha doing?" Tetra nearly jumped out of her skin and spun around, spotting an ominous shadow perched on her fence. It resembled a reaper against the rising sun, but if she squinted her eyes she could make out an over-sized, green hoodie.

Just that stupid fairy boy from yesterday, Link. She sighed shakily in relief and clutched at the front of her shirt tightly.

"S-sneaking out, stupid. How long have you been out here anyway?" she asked breathlessly, her heart still racing from the scare. He shrugged and hopped down from the fence, which she was surprised he was even up on since he was so short. He tilted his head to the side and looked at the bandage on her leg curiously.

"Your leg okay?" Tetra frowned, slightly frustrated that another one of her questions had been avoided.

"Yeah, it's fine. Just a flesh wound I got in a fight," she replied, puffing out her chest in bravado. Was he impressed? Most girls their age would be crying their little eyes out, but not her!

"No it's not," he said with a smile and leaned against the fencepost. She gave him an incredulous look.

"What!? Of course it is! I'm a pirate, I fight tons of people!"  
"I saw you. You fell." Link nodded towards the rock she had been climbing yesterday and she flushed in embarrassment and anger.

"W-whatever!" Tetra snorted and turned her head to the side. Stupid kid! Who did he think he was dealing with? She scaled the fence and hopped over to the other side, slightly irritated when Link imitated her easily. He landed with a soft thump in the dirt and padded alongside her, trying to match her brisk pace. She tried to ignore him by telling herself that it was just a little green leaf floating in the corner of her eye.

It didn't work.

"Why are you following me!?" she demanded, wheeling on him in a flash. He stopped in his tracks and gave her his usual wide-eyed stare.

"Cos I wanna," he answered simply. Tetra growled and grabbed him by the front of his hoodie. He had to stand on his tiptoes when she pulled him up close.

"You wanna what?"  
"See where you're goin'."  
"Well you can't!" Tetra shoved him back and let go of his jacket. He stumbled a little, but he didn't fall over like she hoped he would.

"Why not?" He didn't look offended by her harsh rejection, just curious.  
"Because- because..." she trailed off, unsure of what to say. What was a good reason that he couldn't come along?

"Because I'm on official pirate business! Yeah, that's right! And you're not a pirate, are you?" He shook his head and she affirmed cockily, "that's right, you're not. So go home like a good kid."

Tetra turned on her heel and started towards the castle again, glad that she couldn't hear his quiet footsteps anymore. A moment passed before the grass rustled noisily and he was right back at her side.

"What kinda business?" he asked curiously, his long blond fringe flopping into his face messily. He obviously wanted to know or he wouldn't have chased after her. She groaned and stopped again, dragging her hand down her face in exasperation.

"Treasure huntin' and stuff. Don't you even know what a pirate is?" She tried to stare him down again like yesterday. It still didn't work.

"I wanna come," he insisted in a soft tone. He wasn't whining or asking, just saying so. She thought it over logically. If he wanted to come, who was she to stop him? Stupid kid could go and get himself killed for all she cared. And really, two pairs of eyes would comb this place faster than just one.

"Fine then. From today on, you're my swabbie and you're going to help me look for treasure. But you can't go crying to your momma or tell anyone about this either! Got that?" Link smiled brightly and nodded vigorously in assent, his hood falling off from the excitement. She sneered and went along her way for the the third time that day, not bothering to turn around and check if he was following her.

She already knew he would.


	4. The Greatest of Treasures is Me and You

**The Greatest of Treasures is Me and You**

* * *

Tetra was starting to regret bringing Link along with her. They split up once they reached the castle and she told him to bring anything he thought was treasure back to her so she could check it out. It was a good idea at first, except that he kept bringing her odd things like flowers and antique quills. She didn't know how she got stuck with someone so stupid as her swabbie. She needed a bigger crew.

Link approached her again five minutes later while she she was sifting through a pile of rubble. The gleam between his fingers looked promising, so she held out her hand. He dropped something heavy and cold into her palm. A brooch? A jewel? She looked down only to be disappointed again.

"No, no, no! This is _not_ treasure. Are you sure you're cut out for this?" Tetra scowled and pushed away the polished stone he offered to her, shaking her head in disgust.

"You _said_ shiny," Link explained, slipping the stone into his pocket all the same. Although it was a pitch black color it still shined, even in the dim lighting of the castle. He liked it.

"I said treasure was gold and shiny and stuff! I didn't _just_ say shiny!" she corrected angrily. Link shrugged and tilted his head to the side curiously.

"What's 'stuff' then?" Tetra sputtered for a minute, caught off guard. Why was it that she was always at a loss for words around this nosy kid? She thought it over carefully.

"Y'know, like... something you've been looking for for a really long time cos it's so hard to find. And it's really pretty and valuable, and you don't want to give it to anyone else cos you like it so much." She gave him a stern look and put her hands on her hips.

"And most of all treasure is something you'd do anything to get and keep! That's the pirate way. Now don't come back until you find something like that." Link nodded thoughtfully and sat down in front of her. She scowled and kicked him lightly in the side.

"Hey! Swabbie! I didn't say _don't go_, I said _don't come back_ until you find it. You deaf _and_ mute?" He looked up at her with a bright smile and pushed his hair behind his ear, looking earnest.

"I already found treasure." Tetra blinked, looking slightly taken aback. Then she got excited.

"What? Where?" She looked around the room and, not spotting any gold or gemstones or chests, turned back to him in exasperation.

"It better not be another rock," she warned him dryly. Link shook his head. He had found something way better than a rock and told her honestly, "it's you."

Tetra just kicked him in the side again and told him to keep looking. 


	5. You Know That Nobody is Perfect

**You Know That Nobody is Perfect**

* * *

Even after he had annoyed her all day, Tetra still walked him home. He wasn't sure why, but she tried to justify herself by saying, with a rather condescending sneer, that it was dark outside and he was too small to take care of himself.

Link waved her off as she went, watching her back until it shrunk away into the distance. Over at her house, he spotted a creepy shadow peering at him through the downstairs window. He slowly let his arms drop to his side and stared back. The curtains swished shut abruptly. How strange. He went inside to escape the chilly night air and thought about Tetra. She had seemed pretty standoffish and headstrong yesterday, but she was still a _girl_. She reminded him a bit of Illia, a clever girl that he had met in his old neighborhood and who had quickly become one of his best friends. Or were they _ex_-best friends now? You didn't stop being friends just because you moved, did you?

Aryll came running up to him as he was unzipping his boots in the doorway. She threw her arms around his neck and he smiled cheerfully at the sight of a familiar face, giving her a little spin. Well, to the best of his ability. They were kind of close in height.

"Link! You're back!" she squeaked and nuzzed her face into his neck fondly.

"Mhm hm," he nodded and ruffled her hair. He knew she was wrinkling her nose, even if he couldn't see her face at the moment. Right on cue she whined and jumped back, fixing her hair with- _yes, that was the one_- a crease in her nose.

"Y-you were gone an _awfully_ long time! We were worried about you," Aryll scolded as she patted her hair flat again. Link swallowed the lump of guilt in his throat and offered her an apologetic smile. She frowned a little and shook her head. His smile soon fell.

"I woke up and- and you weren't there. I thought you left," she murmured softly, her eyes downcast. The words trailed off into a shaky sob.

"I was gonna come back." It sounded like a weak excuse, even to him.

"I thought you left like _mama_ and _papa_! Like _granny_!" Aryll nearly shouted, this time staring him right in the eye. He noticed the tears dripping down her face and cupped her cheek, wiping them away with his sleeve.

"...sorry," he apologized again and pressed their foreheads together. Aryll tried to glare at him, but closed her eyes instead when she started feeling dizzy and cross-eyed.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" She sniffled loudly. Link smiled, unseen to her, and knew she didn't mean it. He closed his eyes and hugged her. _This,_ he thought to himself, _is the only bit of home I'll never lose._

"I know." But he hugged her a little tighter.

Just to be safe.


	6. One For You and One For Me

**One For You and One For Me**

* * *

Zelda was _psychic._ That was the only explanation. Or that eye of hers, the one that was always covered up by her side part, it must have been some kind of _all-seeing eye_ and that's why she hid it. Tetra wasn't sure when or how, but somehow Zelda had found out about her all-day excursion with their neighbor. She turned her head slowly when Tetra walked in late that night (tired after a long day of treasure hunting), with a predatory, feline grin on her face, and Tetra was suddenly struck with the impression that she was a witch and not a princess after all.

"So..." Zelda started slowly, mischief gleaming in her usually docile eyes.

"So what?" Tetra spat and stared back defiantly, though fear crept through her veins. Zelda giggled behind her palm, _very_ princesslike, mind you, and Tetra felt like running for the stairs and locking the bedroom door behind her.

"So I saw you walking the neighbor home. How _gentlemanly_ of you. Is she as cute as her little sister?" Zelda teased. She was of the opinion that Tetra acted too much like a boy to be a girl and frequently harassed her about it. Tetra stiffened, her anger making her ears turn bright red. Both for herself and Link, who had somehow wormed his little fairy way into her good favor. She glared venomously at her twin and stomped up to the arm chair, her hand raised in preparation to strike. No one insulted _her_ swabbie and got away with it!

"I'm _not_ a boy and in case you haven't noticed, you little twit, our neighbor _is_!" Zelda flinched slightly when she drew near and curled up in her seat, her lower lip quavering slightly.

"You wouldn't dare. I'll tell papa if you hit me!" Tetra growled and dropped her hand to her side, the fingers curling into a fist. She hated Zelda so much. It was bad enough their father never hit her, but now _she_ was exempt from the privilige as well? Once she had seen that she had leverage over her sister, Zelda quickly grew smug again.

"I told papa that you two hit off well today. He's inviting the neighbors to dinner." Tetra paled and took a step back. Link? In her house? A more horrifying thought came to mind. Link would meet Zelda. What if he thought he wanted to be a knight instead of a swabbie? What if he liked playing _saving the princess_ more than _searching for buried treasure_?

"You're lying!" Tetra clenched her teeth and stared down at the floor angrily. Zelda's eyes slid closed slowly as she faced toward the fire, her smile ever so sweet.

"We have to be nice to our neighbors. I can't wait to meet them." For some reason, in Tetra's mind, although she said _them_ she couldn't help but hear _him_. An unknown jealousy wrung her stomach like a wash cloth. She felt like throwing up, crying, hitting something. Why did Zelda always get her way? Why was Zelda the pretty one, the girly one, the popular one? It wasn't _fair_. Zelda already had so many trinkets and toys that their father got for her, so why couldn't Tetra have her own little treasure for once?

Tetra stormed upstairs and threw herself onto her bed, screaming out her frustration into her pillow and wondering why she had to be born a twin.


	7. Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?

**Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?**

* * *

It wasn't until after Link had helped Aryll wash her face off that their father, Rusl, told them about the dinner they'd be having soon. Link handed his sister a towel to pat her face dry with and looked up at him incredulously. He just couldn't believe that they were having dinner with the neighbors so soon. They just moved in yesterday! In fact, most of their belongings had yet to be unpacked. That was partly the reason he had run off this morning. He hated putting things away. It wasn't all bad, though. At least he'd be seeing Tetra again. She was a lot of fun to be around. He wondered about the catlike eyes watching him through the window and shivered slightly. What if they had a monster hiding in the house? Something as creepy as that would probably be Tetra's _pet_. For some odd reason, the idea didn't seem that ridiculous.

"Are you excited?" Rusl asked him with a gentle smile. Link shrugged and nodded, but Rusl wasn't too bothered by his lack of reply. He already knew that Link was a quiet kid by now.

"They have a _really_ pretty daughter!" Aryll exclaimed, though it was slightly muffled against the cloth over her face. She poked her head out over it and gave Rusl and Link an excited smile, her eyes glittering.

"I saw her! She looks just like a _princess_!" He wasn't sure if he heard right. Tetra was _far_ from a princess. Link tried to imagine her in a flowing pink dress and a small snort escaped him before he could hold it in. Aryll raised her eyebrow at him and stamped her foot angrily.

"What? It's true! I'm not lying!" He only snickered more and she pouted, throwing the wet towel at his face. He threw it right back and took off into the living room.

"She is a princess! She _is_!" she cried indignantly, chasing him around and between the stacked boxes. It took five minutes for Rusl to try to calm her down before his wife had to step in. She pulled Aryll into her lap and began to pet her hair gently.

"We'll all meet the princess together, _ok_?" Uli promised, her voice soothing. Aryll pouted, but Uli gently smoothed out the creases between her brows with her thumb.

"Fine," Aryll muttered sulkily. She twisted around in Uli's lap, careful of her bulging stomach, and stuck her tongue out at Link defiantly.

"You'll see the princess, then you'll _have_ to believe me!" Link just smiled wryly. He wasn't that interested in princesses. Instead, he thought of Tetra and her monster pet.

What he didn't realize was that the monster and Aryll's princess were the very same.


	8. A Wolf in Princess' Clothing

**A Wolf In Princess' Clothing**

* * *

"I see them!" Zelda crowed at window, peering out into the darkness intently. Sure enough the little family of four was coming up the driveway. She assumed the tall blond man leading them was the father. What a _funny_ mustache he had! And their mother's belly was _enormous_, too! She giggled to herself and carefully dogeared the page of her book before setting it down on the window seat.

Tetra watched her in distaste, taking out her anger by tossing things into the fireplace and imagining it were Zelda. A piece of carpet lint burst into flames and shriveled up in less than a second. She watched with a dark smirk and wondered if her sister's hair would do the same. Behind her she could hear Zelda scampering to the door, opening it with the same loud creak that almost gave her away this morning. Small pleasantries were exchanged and she could hear a small girl whisper loudly, "See!? See!? A _real_ princess!"

No doubt Zelda curtsied to humor her. The little _fraud_. Tetra closed the protective screen in front of the fire and stood up shakily, trying to regain the feelings in her legs. She didn't turn around, not just yet, but she could imagine the scene going on behind her pretty well by herself.

Link was at the door, staring at her with those damn doe-eyes, most likely. She tried to waste time by brushing off imaginary dirt from her shorts. When no more delay could be found, she finally risked a chance and peeked over her shoulder. There was no way he was still staring at her after all this time.

Yet he was.

She quickly whipped her head around again and scowled to herself. Creepy, that's what he was. Just a creepy kid with a most likely creepy family to match. She repeated this to herself like a mantra and it gave her the courage to saunter over to the door in her usual proud manner.

"Hey," she nodded her head to them as if she were talking casually to friends, not bothering with polite formalities. Zelda looked horrified, but Tetra couldn't care less. If his parents didn't like her then it wasn't her problem. Rusl just chuckled good-naturedly and patted her on the head, not seeming offended at all. She was a little disappointed and stepped aside to make room for her father to talk to their guests. How boring.

Tetra turned to Link, intent on asking him if he wanted to come up to her room before dinner. She wanted to show him what a _real_ treasure looked like so he'd stop bringing her stones and the like. The question died in her throat. He was still staring at her, but now his eyes were drifting between her and her sister, who was prancing about for Uli and Aryll like a show pony. He had a thoughtful look of concentration, as if he were comparing.

Tetra felt sick and anxious, wondering what he could possibly be thinking. Did he like her sister more? Everyone _always_ liked Zelda more. She'd probably have little tea parties with him and they'd call each other _Sir_ and _M' Lady_. She wouldn't kick him as much as Tetra did either.

Link's eyes came to rest on her finally, not moving back to Zelda again. From above her she could numbly hear the adults chattering to each other. Mundane things like, "I didn't know you had another daughter!" and, "Uli's expecting a boy by winter." It didn't matter to her. All she could clearly hear was her own heart, racing sporadically in her chest (not unlike like how that schizo hamster Zelda got for Christmas last year ran on its wheel). He smiled slowly.

"You never said you had a sister." Was that all he was thinking after all this time? She refused to think it was that simple.

"Neither did _you_," Tetra spat back, though she wasn't sure why she sounded so defensive about it. There was an awkward silence, for her at least, until she remembered what she wanted to say.

"Wanna see my room?" she blurted out hastily, before she could be interrupted. Link seemed surprised, but then he nodded and wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulder.

"Can Aryll come?" She assumed that was the girl's name.

"_What?_ But I wanna play with the princess!" Aryll insisted, breaking free from his hold and clinging to Zelda's dress like a barnacle. Zelda giggled airily and patted her on the head, obviously enjoying the attention.

"You two go play pirates. I'll watch your baby sister," she offered and shooed them away with one dainty hand. Link looked pleased and waved a small goodbye to Aryll before Tetra grabbed his arm and yanked him up the stairs.

Tetra stifled a frustrated growl and grinded her teeth, making sure to stomp hard enough on each step that the stairs groaned in protest. Angrily, she recalled the mocking way her sister had phrased it. _Play pirates._ Hah! As if they were children playing make-believe like _she_ did with her stupid dolls. And then she had the nerve to use Aryll as a way to get on Link's good side! She really couldn't stand Zelda sometimes.

She was such a _sneak!_


	9. Some Things Never Change

**Some Things Never Change**

* * *

Tetra made a grand show of her room when they reached the top of the stairs, intent on impressing the pants off of Link. He wouldn't even think _twice_ about Zelda when she showed him how great of a pirate she was. She made him stand in the middle of the room while she rushed about, picking up small trinkets she had found in the castle- an expensive looking brooch, a scratched sapphire ring, some kind of pendant with three glittering and colorful stones. He examined them each with interest as she handed them to him.

"Now _this_ is treasure," she announced proudly before going to get the next batch. He stood patiently in his spot and looked around. One treasure particular caught his eye. It wasn't very special or grand. Just a small blue thing, shiny and round. Like some kind of polished sweet potato with holes drilled in it. He walked over to it as if in a trance, looking over the placement of the holes intently.

"What're you lookin' at?" Tetra wandered over and peered over his shoulder. He ignored her and reached into the front of his hoodie, pulling out a small wooden pendant on a string. It had four holes in it and he compared it to the object he was holding. _Could it be...?_

"Oh, _that_ old thing. I only keep it cos I thought this might be worth something," Tetra explained, tapping her finger against the gold band around the mouth piece. There was a small triangular design in matching gold and he ran his fingers over it thoughtfully.

"I think it's an ocarina," he said suddenly. Tetra gave him an odd look.

"An oca-_what?_?" she asked incredulously as Link wiped the mouth piece off with his sleeve.

"Kinda like a flute," he explained in simplified terms. She rolled her eyes and wandered off again, not really caring much for the fine arts. Link put his lips to the mouth piece carefully and blew first without covering any of the holes. The shrill whistle caused Tetra to jump and hit her head on the shelf she had been digging through.

"ARGH! Damn it, what the hell was that!?" she turned around to glare venomously at him, rubbing her scalp to ease some of the pain. He smiled apologetically but she wouldn't have any of it.

"Sorry, I haven't played a twelve-hole in a while." She snorted and looked at the ocarina doubtfully.

"Yeah, sure. Like _anyone_ could play that stupid looking thing."

"_I_ can." He looked a little proud of himself as he added, "My grandma taught me how."

Link put his lips to it again and tested out a few shrill notes to find the keys. Tetra held her ears and grimaced. She was about to reach out and slap it out of his hands but stopped short when it actually started to resemble something like music. He closed his eyes and she stared in amazement as he moved his fingers surely over the little holes. How did he know which ones to hold?

A jittery tune that started out soft, but grew louder. Tetra couldn't help but tap her foot along to it, her head bobbing slightly. It was rather nice now that he had gotten the feel of it. After a few moments of playing, Link opened one eye and gave her a cheeky look. It was like he was challenging her and she raised her eyebrow, walking around him in a circle.

He leaned forward and blew a high note in her ear to annoy her, jumping away when she tried to kick in retaliation. She growled and tried it again, but he leaped out of her reach easily, light as a leaf on the wind. For some reason, a smile cracked her face and she chased after him. They hopped over her various treasures and Zelda's stuffed animals, Tetra trying to catch him and Link just barely evading every time. It resembled an odd dance more than a game of tag and grew almost frantic as the song picked up tempo.

Link played until he was out breath from running, the notes barely sounding like faint whistles on the ocarina. He plopped to the floor heavily and put the ocarina in his lap, trying to catch his breath.

"This would be _a lot_ easier if we were outside," she grumbled, sitting down next to him and punching him in the shoulder. He faked a wince.

"Y' caught me," he commented breathlessly. She nodded proudly and leaned back on her hands.

"And I always will!" They looked at each other briefly, at their flushed faces and tousled hair, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"What- what's that song called anyway? I never heard it," she asked after she had gotten her second wind. Her stomach hurt from too much laughing, but it was a good kind of hurt. She hadn't laughed that hard in a while. Link stroked the ocarina fondly, a melancholy expression on his face.

"_Saria's Song._ Named it after my grandma cos it's the first song she taught me." In his head, he couldn't help but add _and the last._ Her grin faded and Tetra awkwardly folded her hands in her lap, instinctively understanding the unsaid words.

"Saria, huh? That's a nice name," she commented after a minute had passed. Link nodded in agreement and picked up the ocarina again. She didn't chase him this time, just scooted a little closer until they were shoulder to shoulder.

They listened to _Saria's Song_ until her father called them down for dinner.


	10. The Distressing Dinner Disaster

**The Distressing Dinner Disaster**

* * *

The dinner had been a spur of the moment decision, so there weren't any seating arrangements planned beforehand. Fortunately, the Nohansen's table was large enough to seat eight people. Daphnes, their father, was situated at the head of the table, as was custom, and Rusl sat across from him with his wife Uli beside him. On either side of Link was Zelda and Aryll. Tetra somehow managed to get wedged between Uli and Daphnes. She was sure this was a part of Zelda's plan to steal away her swabbie and fumed silently over her mashed potatoes.

"That's a lovely dress," Daphnes commented casually on Uli's attire, a new white maternity gown that she had donned just for the occasion. She looked pleased and thanked him for the compliment and Rusl started up some boring topic about the economy that Tetra could care less about. She pushed her peas around with her fork listlessly and looked over at Link, who seemed to be more interested in stuffing his face than keeping her amused. The pirate flicked a pea at him to catch his attention, but it just bounced off his hair and fell on his plate. He ate that one, too.

She hoped he choked on it.

"So, did you two have fun?" Zelda asked lightly, taking a small, dainty bite of her food. Link nodded and took a swig of his juice, his loud slurping making her cringe in disgust.

Aryll attempted to emulate Zelda's posture and poise in an effort to impress her, but the table was too tall and the forks too big for her to hold properly. Frustrated, she whined and threw her silverware down, interrupting Zelda's next attempt at civil conversation.

"I wanted to sit next to the princess!" Aryll finally cried, her arms crossed huffily and mouth down-turned into a full-blown pout. Uli reached over to try and placate her, but the girl just turned her head away defiantly. Irritated with her brattiness, Tetra flicked a pea at Aryll as well.

"Who would want to sit next to that stuffy little twit? She's not even a real damn princess," Tetra sneered and Aryll shrieked wildly, "she is _so!_ she is _so!_" while pounding her small fists on the table. Daphnes gave her a disapproving frown.

"**Tetra!** Mind your manners while we have guests over," he scolded reproachfully. Tetra snorted and rolled her eyes, jabbing her fork in Link's direction.

"Sir _Eats-a-lot_ sure isn't minding his manners," she drawled with a smirk. Zelda had had enough of her coarse behavior and decided to say so.

"You are a disgrace to the name Nohansen! Really, that's quite enough," Zelda snapped, her expression one of complete disgust and Tetra decided that she rather liked that look on her. It made her as ugly on the outside as she was on the inside.

"Not just yet," Tetra snarled and lobbed a spoonful of mashed potatoes at her sister. It hit her dress with a wet 'plop!' and Zelda leaped up from her seat with a start.

"How dare you!" she shouted indignantly and snatched up her glass of juice, angrily flinging the contents across the table. However, her aim wasn't so true, and it ended up on Uli's white dress instead.

"Oh my..." Uli held one hand up to her mouth and stared down at the bright red stain worriedly. Zelda's eyes grew three times in size and she put down her glass gently with a guiltily look on her face.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I misse- I mean, I didn't mean to!" she blathered, wringing her hands in distress. Rusl got up to assist his wife, dabbing the spot with a wet napkin.

"It's fine, it's fine, but you really oughtn't fight with your sis-" Uli was interrupted by another shriek from Aryll.

"Stop laughing! You witch!" the young girl demanded and pointed accusingly at Tetra, who had been smirking and cackling under her breath. Tetra pulled down her eyelid and stuck out her tongue, egging the other girl on. Aryll took it as a challenge and grabbed the table cloth, yanking on it and making Tetra spill her own glass on herself.

"Why you little!" Tetra grabbed the other side and yanked it back. Link stopped eating for a moment and lifted his plate up before the rest of the dishes went flying. They hit the floor with a resounding crash and food and glass shards went scattering across the wooden floor. For the first time since he came downstairs, Link tilted his head to the side and quietly mumbled, "well, that's gonna leave a mark." With his words for the night being said, he started eating again with his plate in his lap instead, coolly disregarding the chaos that had erupted over a simple seating arrangement.

Tetra only wished she could do the same.

"**Aryll!**"  
"**Tetra!**"  
"_She started it!_"

Needless to say, they wouldn't be having another dinner together anytime soon.


	11. Use Your Imagination

**Use Your Imagination**

* * *

Link was bored to death. He had been ever since they had been banned from the Nohansen's house, though he wasn't sure why he wasn't allowed to go if it was Aryll who couldn't behave. They said something about him being more "responsible" and that he ought to have stopped her from the start since he had been sitting right beside her.

Well, how was it his fault that he was _really_ hungry? Couldn't she have waited to have a tantrum until _after_ he was done eating? Still, they stood firm and to top things off it was raining. Although, even it was dry, it's not like he could have gone outside without Tetra. He didn't know his own way around just yet. He had tried waiting outside her house, despite being told not to, but she shooed him away when he threw a rock at her window. She said that she was "grounded", whatever that meant.

When he told Rusl his dilemma of boredom, the man told him that he could help unpack since he had dodged out on doing it yesterday and the day before that, too. Link frowned and shoved his hands in his pockets, making a small noise that might have meant, "maybe", before wandering off again. Yeah, like that was ever going to happen.

There was an empty box in the kitchen that said "oranges" and used to hold the dishes from the old house, but he couldn't care less about that. The one thing that mattered was that it was _big_. Big enough to hold a small person.

"Big enough for me?" he asked himself and walked up to it carefully, as if he would scare it off by being loud. He flipped it over and felt the inside. Pretty roomy and not that dirty at all. He glanced around to see if anyone was watching before climbing inside. A boat, perhaps?

"A pirate shiii~p," he singsonged quietly and pretended to spin a steering wheel. He stopped after a moment. Playing pirates wasn't any fun without a captain. He flipped the box over and climbed underneath instead.

"Whoah, dark," he muttered, and it sounded muffled even to him. There were four holes in the box; two slits on the short sides and two oval-shaped holes for handles on the long sides. He put his hands through the holes and peered out through the slit. It felt like a big shell, like he was some kind of big cardboard turtle. He waddled around the kitchen awkwardly, snickering when he bumped into counters and tables.

"Hoy! Brother!" Aryll's shrill voice drifted into the kitchen and he started in surprise. If she found him she'd probably make him help her unpack the rest of her stuffed animals or something else equally tedious.

Link drew his arms back inside and shuffled under a table, trying to look inconspicuous. Through the slit, he could see a small pair of denim clad legs walk into the kitchen. Aryll, of course.

"Brother, where are you?" she called, circling the kitchen in a scrutinous search. She looked behind the door; empty. She checked inside the fridge; nothing but ketchup. She even checked inside the drawers, but there was only silverware and Link was green, not silver. The young girl wrinkled her nose in thought and looked under the table. There was a box with the word "KITCHEN" written on it in bold sharpie. She grinned and crawled under the table to investigate.

"_You're_ supposed to be helping unpack!" Aryll scolded and nudged the box with the palms of her hands. A pair of large, catlike eyes peered out at her through the slit and she scooted back in surprise when the box started to growl and shake.

"H-hey! That's not funny! Get out of there brother," she demanded. The box hissed loudly and she scrambled out from beneath the table with a shriek, rushing out of the kitchen to go get an adult.

"There's a monster in the kitchen! A monster!" she shrieked, her small feet pounding loudly against the linoleum and hardwood floors. When she was a safe distance away, Link tipped the box over to the side and crawled out, giggling to himself mischieviously.

_That_ ought to teach her a lesson.


	12. Rain Rain Go Away

**Rain Rain Go Away**

* * *

After they cleaned up the mess in the living room (a time consuming task), they were sent to bed early without a bedtime story. Tetra thought she was too old for that sort of thing, but Zelda seemed positively heartbroken about it and couldn't be consoled.

Rusl and Uli had apologised profusely on Aryll's part, but seeing as she was only eight-years-old, she got off the hook with relatively no punishment besides a good scolding. Tetra and Zelda, on the other hand, ought to have known better by their age, and their father told them so when they asked why they were being grounded.

The next few days were hell (for Tetra, at least). Zelda, on the other hand, seemed quite content to stay at home. She sat in front of the mirror, brushing her hair idly and staring at her reflection. Tetra just stared out the window gloomily. There was nothing to for her to _do_ inside, nothing to explore or discover. She knew this house like the back of her hand. It was only the second day of their confinement and she was ready to rip out her own hair (or possibly even Zelda's if she kept brushing it so damn much).

It didn't help that the sisters had to share a room, either. They had been on rather rocky terms since the mashed potato incident and were liable to break into an argument over the simplest of things. _You used my hairbrush, you dog-eared my book, you touched my Oca-whatever thing,_ etc. They fought on a regular day-to-day basis, but the small periods of peace in between had lessened to intervals of five minutes.

Tetra couldn't have snuck outside, even if she wanted to get away from her sister that badly. It just so happened to be _raining_. The cheerful weather of the last few days since Link's arrival had turned back into being cold and wet, the blue skies hidden behind dark, foreboding clouds. Their room was awfully cold and it was a traditional house so there were no electric heaters, just a single fireplace. But Zelda was downstairs, sulking in front of it about their latest argument, no doubt, and Tetra didn't want to look at her stupid, pouty face right now.

"Screw this!" Tetra muttered under her breath and grabbed a towel from the closet. Perhaps a hot bath would be enough to warm her up and clear her head. She undressed and tossed her clothes onto the bed, too lazy to get another pair out. It was a good thing Zelda wasn't up here, or she would have tattled on her for bad hygiene.

Tetra snorted and rolled her eyes as she wrapped the towel around herself. It wasn't like she had been rolling in the dirt today, so she didn't see why she couldn't wear them again if they were still clean. Just to be safe, she locked the door to the room before dashing into the bathroom to draw a bath, the cold air nipping at her heels.

She didn't bother locking the window.


	13. You Aren't the Boss of Me

**You Aren't The Boss of Me**

* * *

It was apparent that Aryll had ratted him out when her terrified shrieks subsided and were replaced by Uli's firm voice calling, "Link! Come up here!" Link was usually a docile and responsible child. He was used to being the oldest child and grew up with his grandma and sister, so it made him the _man of the house_, which only grew more apparent after he found himself having to take care of himself and his sister with no blood relatives left.

It was tough having to leave their island on such short notice and then being carted around inland from village to village. They had eventually managed to find a couple in Ordon that was willing to take them in permanently, however, their house was too small so they ended up moving into the small community in Hyrule Fields.

The move was the turning point in the relationship he had with his foster parents. Meeting Tetra had awakened a rebellious streak in him and he now found himself scorning Uli's stern, yet gentle, beckoning. He had grown rather fond of Rusl and Uli over the past few months, but he was old enough to understand that they weren't his real parents.

_What right did they have to order him around? How could they possibly dictate him on watching over his sister when that was practically his job since the day she was born?_ With every new question, his resentment only grew. They didn't understand him or Aryll, they had _no right_ at all.

Uli called for him again, only sounding a bit more exasperated. For some reason, it reminded him of his grandma, scolding him for chasing Aryll's seagulls down by the shore. Link subconsciously took a step towards the stairs before he realized what he was doing and stopped.

Grandma was dead. Those were stairs, not the step ladder that led to the small loft where his grandma liked to sit and knit. This wasn't Outset Island. One look out the window at the rain and he knew for sure that he was still stuck here. It never rained back home, the skies were always clear and the sand was always warm. His eyes slid hesitantly toward the back door located in the kitchen. There was a chain lock bolted high on the wall, way beyond his short reach, but it was unlocked.

Link swallowed hard and glanced indecisively between the door and stairs.

Outside was Tetra. They could play pirates. She would yell at him, but it was okay because he knew she didn't mean it. She was just pretending to be his captain. He could play that pretty ocarina for her, too, and she might sit close to him again like before. She had actually seemed like a girl for those few tranquil moments, with her eyes closed pensively and a gentle smile playing across her thin lips. He remembered that she didn't wear sticky lip gloss like Zelda did and it just seemed like such a Tetra thing to do _(scorning lip gloss and chap stick)_ that he smiled.

Upstairs was Uli. His smile faltered as he tried to imagine the scenario awaiting him on the second floor. She would be disappointed in him for sure and would probably lecture him again on being a responsible older brother. A heavy, sinking feeling formed in his stomach and, if he was a little older, he'd probably be able to pin it on something called "guilt".

Link tried to shake the sensation off with false reassurances. He had only been joking around and Aryll knew that, right? She was just overreacting like she was usually prone to do. He nodded to himself, satisfied with his own explanation. The choice was clear to him now.

There was one last call for his name, but Link didn't hear it. By the time Uli hobbled downstairs to fetch him herself, he was already gone.


	14. Comfort in Familiarity

**Comfort in Familiarity**

* * *

Link came from a temperate island, so it was no surprise that he had underestimated the storm outside. The rain, which had been a light sprinkle just a minute ago, had increased in intensity and strength, now coming down in slanted torrents from the wind. Link pulled his hood down further to shield his face from the stinging cold drops and pulled his hands into his sleeves in an attempt to keep dry, dragging his feet through the muddy grass blindly. Water had even seeped into his boots and his socks squished with every shivering step he took. It was so _cold_, his bones felt brittle like ice, like he'd shiver and break apart into a thousand little pieces.

The small boy turned on his heel and pulled his wet fringe out of his eyes, peering back at his house longingly. It was probably warm and dry. He almost considered giving up and going back home, but then he caught sight of the lights on upstairs in Aryll's room and gritted his teeth determinedly. There was no way he would concede that easily. With a renewed sense of purpose, he made a dash Tetra's house, nearly falling into the mud when he clumsily climbed over the fence that divided their properties from each other.

There was only one more thing standing in his way.

Link stared intently at the front door, wondering if he should knock. Tetra had said that he wasn't allowed to come over, so it'd probably be a bad idea. There had to be another way in. He jogged over to the side of the house where Tetra's window was. He remembered there being ivy growing all along the wall, and indeed it was still creeping up along the wall like a fungus, but it was useless to him if he couldn't get inside the house. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Tetra!" No answer. He tried again, but gave up when he realized that he could barely even hear _himself_ over the howling wind. He felt around in his pockets for something to throw and pulled out the smooth black stone he had found in the castle. It glistened wetly and he smiled. Hopefully, it wouldn't break anything. Pushing his hair to the side again, he closed one eye and aimed for the window, lobbing the rock at it with all his strength. It collided and he flinched and covered his head with his arms.

There was no sound of glass shattering. He opened his eyes again and saw that the window had come open, swinging back and forth in the wind. This was his chance! Link ran up to the wall and tangled up his fingers in the slippery vines, trying to get leverage with the ridged bottoms of his boots. It was hard, but he managed to find a foot hold. He pulled himself up higher and blindly felt for another vine to grab onto, repeating the process in a slow, careful manner so he wouldn't fall and break his neck. The room was empty by the time he reached the top. There was Tetra's clothes laid out on the bed messily, but no Tetra. He pulled himself over the windowsill and tumbled into the room headfirst, almost landing on the rock he had chucked through the window. He groaned and rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling dazedly until he gained his bearings. After a while, the numbness wore off and he could feel the soft carpet underneath him. He sat up with an exhausted sigh and glanced around the room tiredly, as if Tetra would magically appear.

She didn't. All he could hear was the sound of running water and the shutters rattling noisily. Link frowned and staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on the window to force it shut against the wind. It shut with a loud _thunk_.

_Click._ The bathroom door opened hurriedly and Link turned on his heel with a grin, expecting to see Tetra. He did, but she didn't look very happy to see him. There was an awkward silence. Link swallowed nervously.

"...h-hi," he squeaked, his grin faltering slightly under her intense glare.

"_Hey_," she replied tersely and pulled her towel around herself tighter, "mind telling me why you're in here?"

"... I wanted to see you?" he replied with a hesitant smile.

"Naked?" she asked with a deadpan expression and Link shook his head furiously, flinging water everywhere like a wet dog. She dragged her palm down her face and sighed. She couldn't really give him a good thrashing if she was in a towel.

"Just- just turn around or something," Tetra snapped and he shuffled into the corner obediently. Suspicious, she pulled a face at him and stuck her tongue out, but he didn't react. Good. He wouldn't turn around. She pulled on her clothes and toweled off hurriedly.

"Ok, I'm decent," she announced and he turned around again, stifling a laugh at her messy appearance. Her hair was down from its signature bun and stuck to her face wetly, strands sticking up every which way. She gave him a nasty look that just dared him to make a comment on it, but he wisely refrained.

"So what are you doing here anyway, swabbie?" Tetra asked, her voice muffled as she dug through the closet for a spare towel. She didn't want Link dripping all over her carpet the whole time he was here.

"Got bored," he said with a shrug. Tetra scoffed and threw the towel she found at his face.

"Is that all? You could get us both in a lot of trouble. You do know that, don't you?" she muttered irritably and rolled her eyes at his childishness. Secretly, she was a little happy that he had made it this far. It was terribly boring in here without anyone to talk to. Link toweled off his hair and gave her a sheepish smile.

"I know," he answered and she couldn't help but sigh in exasperation.

"Well, since you're here already, I guess I could teach you a bit more on how to be a proper pirate." Tetra plopped down on her bed and crossed her arms and legs.

"Sit," she ordered and he walked over to her bed to sit beside her.

"Nuh uh, you get to sit on the floor Mr. _Breaking-and-entering_," she chided and pointed to the foot of her bed. Link blinked and absentmindedly took a seat on the floor instead, staring up at her expectantly.

"Alright, Lesson One: Always Respect Your Captain!" she proclaimed and held up one finger in her usual all-important way. Link snickered at her serious expression and she tossed a pillow at his head. It didn't hurt but he feigned a wince anyway, still giggling like a maniac.

"Pay attention, swabbie!" Tetra snapped impatiently. She was pretty short-tempered and violent for a girl.

Link wouldn't have it any other way.


	15. An Unwelcome Reality Check

**An Unwelcome Reality Check**

* * *

It was only a matter of time before Link was discovered, but thankfully Zelda hadn't been the one to find them (she would have tattled on them straight-away). It was right when Tera had been about to start on Lesson 10 (_Never Trust a Monarch_) that her father, Daphnes, had come upstairs with an expectant and mildly disapproving expression on his face. The cordless phone in his hand was murmuring worriedly in question, and he didn't look the least surprised to see Link sitting on the floor in front of Tetra.

"Yes, Uli. Your son is here. Yes. He looks fine. I'll send him home right away." Link and Tetra exchanged apprehensive glances before Link got up from the floor slowly, his eyes fixed on the wet spot he left behind in the carpet. "Alright. I'll talk to you soon. Goodbye, Uli." _Beep_. Daphnes stared at Link hard and furrowed his eyebrows, but Link refused to look up and match his stare.

"Your mother is very worried about you," Daphnes said softly, making his deep voice as gentle as he could, but severe all the same. Link began to nod and paused halfway before tilting his head up in thought. He looked at Daphnes through his blond fringe and his dark green eyes glinted with mixed emotion.

"She's not my real mother," Link corrected quietly. Tetra sat up a little straighter from her seat on the bed at this, her eyes slightly wide in surprise. This was her first time hearing anything of the sort, and she was a little hurt that Link hadn't told her something as important as that until she realized how personal something like family could be. She had never told him about her own mother, after all. _You just met him_, she scolded herself quickly_, he's not going to tell you his life story_. At this rate, she was going to end up an overly emotional, sappy girl like Zelda.

"Nevertheless, she _is_ still your guardian." Daphnes' rough tone broke her out of her thoughts and she quickly focused on the situation at hand. He only used that voice when he was upset and she withered slightly under his accusing eyes.

"And you should have told me that he was here so that I could call Uli. She was worried sick about him and you are still grounded after all, Tetra," her father mentioned pointedly. He sighed in exasperation and shook his head slowly. "I'm very disappointed in the both of you." Tetra shifted uncomfortably and looked down at her lap in silence. She had an awful feeling in her chest that she ought to apologize or something, but her stubborn pride refused to let her give in. In her own eyes, she had done nothing wrong. Her father always told her to take care of what little friends she had, and ratting a friend out wasn't a very trustworthy thing to do. Plus, he had only said that she couldn't leave the house. He never said that friends couldn't come over to see her. Satisfied with an argument that she refused to voice, Tetra set her jaw tightly and refused to reply.

"I'll go." Link's monotone voice caught her attention again and she sneaked a peek at him. His small face was carefully impassive and she wondered how he could possibly keep his cool when he was being lectured like that, by her father no less. He wasn't exactly the friendliest looking man in Hyrule Fields, with his burly white mane, and broad chin and shoulders. Her father nodded curtly and gestured for Link to follow him downstairs. Link obediently scuttled after him, his wet books squeaking on the hardwood floor of the hallway. He stopped when he had his hand on the door knob and looked back at Tetra worriedly, the first bit of emotion he had chosen to show since Daphnes arrived.

"I'm sorry I got you in trouble," he said finally, after a moment of thought. Tetra blinked and opened her mouth to say something, but Link closed the door behind him before she could even start to think of a reply. His light footsteps pattered down the staircase hurriedly, but she couldn't muster up the energy to wrench open the door and chase after him to tell him all the things she had running through her mind, before she might never see him again. Instead, she inhaled shakily and laid back on the bed, telling herself that she didn't care and waiting for her father to come back up and tell her what her new punishment was. She would probably be grounded for longer, but she wasn't even that concerned about having to deal with Zelda for another week. Only the weight of her unsaid words weighed heavily on her mind.

And the tense silence rang in her ears like sirens.


	16. Pirates Have Feelings Too

**Pirates Have Feelings Too  
**

* * *

Zelda was staring idly into the fireplace when she heard it. The gentle squeak of wet boots on hardwood floors drew her eyes away from the dancing flames that had captivated her for the last half hour and she quickly stole a glance over her shoulder, fixated on the small green shadow that drifted down the stairs behind her father. It was Link, she realized, and she instantly looked to the door, feeling incredulous when she saw that it was still locked._ How did he get in? _she wondered. She made as if she were about to stand up and greet him, but her father held out his palm to her and shook his head.

There was an odd look on Link's face that she hadn't seen before, a sharpness to his lips and eyes that didn't belong to a boy as young as him. It was absolutely unsettling. She sat back down and quietly observed as her father unlocked the door for the solemn-looking man under the umbrella outside (Rusl was his name, if she remembered correctly), as Link slowly trudged out into the rain, as the man put his hand on his shoulder and gently guided him away. The door clicked shut ominously, the sound echoing in the dark, quiet hall, and Zelda swallowed anxiously as her father passed by, afraid that he might burst into pieces somehow. Instead, he just looked at her severely and said, very soft, "Don't _ever_ leave this house without my permission."

Zelda nodded, absolutely bewildered, and waited until her father disappeared into the kitchen before leaping to her feet, her legs shaking beneath her weight. She rubbed the numbness out of them and scurried up the stairs, her heart pounding at the tense atmosphere that filled the house like a noxious gas.A thousand questions ran through her mind, and each answer she imagined was worst than the last._ Why was Link here? Why was her father so upset? Where was-_

"Tetra!" Zelda burst into the room in a flurry, her breaths coming out in short, panicked pants. She scanned the room frantically for any sign of her sister, her eyes darting towards the most likely of places she would find her; in front of Zelda's bureau, messing up her carefully organized make-up; sitting on the windowsill watching the rain; rolling back and forth on the carpet in the middle of the room in a vain effort to gain enough static electricity to conjure up a lightning bolt. But she wasn't in any of those places. In fact, she was lying on the bed, something that Zelda had only ever seen when Tetra had passed out after a long day of "treasure hunting". Zelda approached her twin cautiously on the tips of her toes, reached out one hand and shook her shoulder lightly to make sure she wasn't dead. Tetra was still for a moment and Zelda almost assumed the worst before she heard a muffled groan.

"T-tetra?" she called uncertainly. Tetra groaned again and swatted her hand away.

"...go 'way..." she mumbled into her pillow. Zelda giggled nervously at the typical reaction and completely disregarded the order (as usual) to sit down on the side of her bed instead, her soft fingers gently petting the top of Tetra's head. It wasn't often that she wore her hair down and Zelda took advantage of the situation, combing her fingers through the coarse blond strands absentmindedly as she spoke.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, but Tetra didn't answer. Zelda breathed deep through her nose and tried again.

"Did you get in trouble?" Nothing. "Is it because of Link?" Silence, then...

"I hate that stupid midget," Tetra grumbled suddenly, her voice thick with some unknown emotion. Zelda's lips twitched as she resisted the urge to laugh and she tried to placate her by petting her hair again.

"What did he do?" she probed for further information, but Tetra had fallen silent again. "_Tetra._" Zelda frowned and curled her fingers in her hair, giving the lock in her hands a sharp tug. Tetra yelped in pain and lunged at her, but Zelda was more cunning than she looked. She pinned her sister down to the bed with her shoulder, pressing all her weight down to make up for the strength she lacked, and Tetra hit the bed with a forced gasp.

"S-stupid bitch," Tetra coughed with a glare. The vulgar insult would have had Zelda in a hissy fit at any other time, but her protests fell short when she recognized the tell-tale redness at the rims of her eyes. It looked like she had been crying, but that couldn't be right, because Tetra never cried. Other girls did, but not big, strong, tomboy Tetra, who scraped her knees and got into fistfights at school with boys and still walked away with a bloody lip stretched into a smirk.

"Have you been...?" Zelda didn't have to finish her question because Tetra snapped, "**NO**," and roughly wiped her eyes off on the backs of her hands. She allowed her a moment to collect herself before letting her go, rolling over onto the bed to lay beside her. She looked up at the ceiling politely to give her some privacy and counted to ten before speaking again.

"So... Link, huh?" she repeated conversationally. Tetra grunted in affirmation and sniffled quietly to herself, obviously upset by Link's visit. Or... maybe she was upset because he _left?_ Zelda hummed thoughtfully and smiled gently, finally figuring out that fickle feeling that she hadn't been able to put her finger on. It was at the tip of her tongue, but she kept it to herself, relishing the fact that she knew something about Tetra that Tetra didn't even know.

"I understand," Zelda murmured secretively. She slid her hand beneath Tetra's and held it tight, a small amused giggle escaping her when Tetra sat up and looked at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"What?" Tetra demanded, but Zelda shook her head, unable to speak through her laughter. "_What? _You understand _what_? Tell me!"

It was good to know that Tetra could act like a girl sometimes, too.


End file.
